Short Take Reviews: Make Me Yours | Ignite | Challenge

  

THE BEMEN

MAKE ME YOURS

by Melanie Harlow

Pub date: November 16, 2020

Format: Audio

If single dad, brother's best friend romance is your thing, Make Me Yours is for you. Cole is raising his young daughter on his own since his wife died during childbirth. Living with his mother so she can help with Mariah, Cole is fulfilled by his job as a cop, has great friends, but he's lonely. Even so, his emotional scars run deep and he's not willing to put himself out there again. Cheyenne is an elementary school teacher who finds herself living back at home with her mother, next door to her lifelong crush - Cole, who happens to be her older brother's best friend. Her love for Cole has been unrequited for years but one night she accidentally hits send on a text to him that describes all the things she'd like to do with him... in detail. And that certainly gets Cole's attention.

I loved how Cole and Cheyenne just clicked and there was such an ease to their relationship. My heart hurt for Cheyenne when Cole would pull away or insist that they had to keep things casual, even though his feelings were anything but. I wanted to shake him sometimes for pushing Cheyenne away, but at the same time I understand why he was so gun shy. Cheyenne was patient and giving, and tended to wear her heart on her sleeve, making her so relatable. One of my favorite aspects was Cheyenne's relationship with Mariah... so sweet! I loved that there was no unnecessary drama, just a story of two people finding their way. 4 STARS

IGNITE

by Melanie Harlow

Pub date: November 22, 2021

Format: Audio

There were plenty of similarities between Makes Me Yours and Ignite (single dad, age gap romance, hero intent on keeping things casual, heroine having a close relationship with the kids) but even so, that didn't stop me from being totally invested. This grumpy-sunshine romance (because Dex could really be a grump) had me so hooked. Divorced dad Dex was a firefighter who adored his two girls and was so present in their lives. When he moved into a new condo, the girls immediately latched on to their next door neighbor, Winnie. The attraction between Dex and Winnie was instant and when they agreed to a casual fling, well, the sparks were flying!

Naturally, feelings got involved and when things got serious, Dex pulled away and encouraged Winnie to accept a job offer out of state. Again (like in Make Me Yours), I wanted to shake some sense into him, but I did understand. Issues with his father who walked out when he was a child, and the breakdown of his marriage, had left Dex dealing with a lot of self-doubt. Dex's girls, Luna and Hallie, were total stars and provided so much comic relief. Loved them! I admit, I was pretty emotional by the end and Harlow managed to get a few tears out of me.  4.25 STARS

CHALLENGE

by Amy Daws

Pub date: September 23, 2016

Format: Audio

Challenge was my first by Amy Daws so I wasn't sure what to expect. Color me surprised because Challenge really delivered: solid characters with actual background stories, great banter/humor, and plenty of steam. And the duet narration was the cherry on top. 

Indie was a talented doctor and was something of a prodigy as a child. Her life up to this point had been solely dedicated to education and her career and she was finally ready to live a little (and lose her v-card). Camden was a talented football player and part of the Harris family dynasty (all his brothers played and his father coached). An on-field injury send him to the hospital and into Indie's life. These two could not have been more different. Indie was reserved and proper, Cam lived life out loud and was up for anything. I adored Cam and all his cocky charm. Their background stories added some depth to both characters and I really enjoyed the evolution of their relationship. This was one of those sit-back-and-enjoy-the-ride reads for me and I was entertained from start to finish. 4 STARS

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